Tom Banton outmuscles Devon Conway and Daniel Bell-Drummond to have the last laugh

OSCAR RATCLIFFE AT CANTERBURY: The Somerset and England opener struck a memorable century amid the gloom to secure a handsome victory for the visitors

Canterbury: Kent 168-8, Somerset 169-0 - Somerset won by 10 wickets

Scorecard

When knockout football is in town, cricket can feel something of a sideshow. When it’s the eve of an epochal showdown between England and Germany at Wembley matters such as whether Daniel Bell-Drummond will secure a Hundred ‘wildcard’ contract tend to fade into the aether. 

Against this backdrop, it’s a good thing that the summer game has a wunderkind of its own with the talent to make the likes of Messers Foden and Grealish blush. 

On a foggy evening at Canterbury, Tom Banton served notice of his singular skills with a thunderous 47-ball ton. The 22-year-old is well-versed in outshining the latest player of the moment at the top of Somerset’s order.

In previous seasons it has been the world’s No.1 T20I batter Babar Azam, but today it was world Test champion, Devon Conway. The New Zealander was more than comfortable to tick along in his partner’s slipstream making 51 from 44. But it was Banton who was the box-office draw smiting seven sixes in his brutal knock. 

“It was probably the best I’ve played,” acknowledged Kent’s destroyer-in-chief in making his highest T20 score.

If previous innings have been about the tyro’s innovation, this was all about his power. With a short leg-side boundary from the Nackington Road end for bowlers to contend with of the hurlers only leg-spinner Qais Ahmed, who performed creditably in amongst the carnage registering figures of 0 for 23, was spared Banton’s brutality.

First Adam Milne, making his first appearance for the home side this year having been signed up at the last in place of Mohammad Amir, was smited for two sixes which might have cleared Canterbury’s lime tree thrice over. Homage was then paid to Darren Stevens in the form of a brace of slog-swept punkish maximums. Veneration for a man twice his age was in short supply. After 10 overs Conway had 24 at a run-a-ball; his partner had 74 going at twice that lick. 

In truth, with the stunted boundary in play, Kent’s score was perhaps a few runs light of competitive. They didn’t have the best of conditions, a thick fog descending after 10 overs checked their progress. But the host's innings was a game of two ends as much as two halves.

From the Pavilion End, Somerset’s bowlers were canny, cramping the home side’s hitters for room to a leg-side field. With a prowling Conway ensuring the runners were kept on their toes, it was a ploy which worked for some time, though the majority of the Cidermen’s eight wides were conceded as the bowlers strayed just a touch too far from the posh side. 

1⃣0⃣7⃣ * runs
5⃣1⃣ balls
8⃣ fours
7⃣ sixes

A second T20 century for Tom Banton 💯#Blast21 pic.twitter.com/4JEzBxvkGw

— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) June 28, 2021

Whilst there were some punishing blows meted out by the form tryptic of Bell-Drummond, Zak Crawley and Joe Denly, Cidermen skipper Lewis Gregory kept his head. Bowling his first three overs to the short boundary he came back from being deposited for six first ball by Crawley to take 2 for 22 and then returned to bowl the final over, only going for five runs and picking up two wickets in the process. It was the second time Somerset’s captain has snared a brace in the 20th over in as many games.

Any hopes that Kent might be able to repeat Somerset’s trick of bowling to a leg-side field on the long boundary were soon dashed as Banton carted Matt Milnes for four boundaries in his first over from the less punishing end. Conway could only stand and admire.

“He’s been giving me a lot of stick recently actually for my football and my cricket”, Banton joked of his Kiwi teammate.  After his partner’s performance at Canterbury, you suspect the world champion will be keeping shtum on the cricket front at least.